TRIBUTES have been paid to a lottery winner who died in an horrendous crash on the A14.Brian Mills had been missing since leaving for work, at Menzies Distribution, on Ransomes Industrial Estate, Ipswich, on Friday morning.

TRIBUTES have been paid to a lottery winner who died in an horrendous crash on the A14.

Brian Mills had been missing since leaving for work, at Menzies Distribution, on Ransomes Industrial Estate, Ipswich, on Friday morning.

Family and work colleagues had been told by police to prepare for the worst while investigations continued into the accident.

Mr Mills, 58, of Fisher Road, Diss, was driving to work on the A14 when his car collided with a lorry and burst into flames near Ipswich.

Yesterday, colleagues of Mr Mills, who in May 2004 was among a group 13 people who won £118,156 on the lottery, spoke of their sadness at his death.

David Bowman, general manager, said: “He was a first-class employee and was well-liked and highly-respected by everybody who came across him.

“We have more than 100 people work for us but he was very well-known and will be sorely missed by management, colleagues and friends at the branch.”

Mr Mills was a full-time warehouse packer and had worked at the company for 32 years.

Mr Bowman said: “We worried when he did not come into work that day but first thought he was probably stuck in traffic.

“When we didn't hear anything from him, our concerns grew and I contacted the police at around noon. They then came back to us with confirmation (that Brian may have died).

“He had worked various shifts over the years he spent with us. He started out packing newspapers on trains many years ago and worked on many shifts between then and his current role.

“We will be doing something, some kind of service perhaps, but want to talk to his family first.”

Friday's accident happened at 8.35am on the Copdock-bound carriageway of the A14, around 500 yards past the Agilent building near the sliproad leading from Asda. It bought rush-hour traffic to a standstill.

Mr Mills had been driving a VW Polo that collided with the HGV and he was pronounced dead when emergency services arrived.

The HGV driver was treated at the scene for shock but did not require hospital treatment.

Two further vehicles were also damaged nearby. A white transit van ended up on its side with damage to the front and back of the vehicle and a pick-up truck with a trailer carrying a digger ploughed down a bank at the roadside, ending up in trees. An investigation was launched to see how the accidents were linked.

Suffolk police have arrested two men on suspicion of careless driving in connection with the crash.

The first is a 40-year-old, from the Needham Market area, who was arrested on Sunday . The second is a 36-year-old from Ipswich. Both have been released on police bail until September 24.